Exclusive: Nicole DuBois Shares What Fans Can Expect From Her Very First Rom-Com, 'Magic Carpet Ride
Nicole DuBois shot to social media fame as "the rom-com parody girl" - but she's about to become the real thing.
We sat down with the content creator, actress, writer and producer to hear more about her very first real rom-com, Magic Carpet Rides.
Plus, she shares her advice to anyone hoping to follow in her footsteps.
Nicole's Love For Rom-Coms Is Lifelong
That Nicole DuBois became, in her own words, "The rom-com parody girl" isn't exactly surprising.
After all, she jokes, "I didn’t really set out to be the 'rom-com parody girl,' the 'rom-com parody girl' life chose me."
"I'm such a fan of the genre! When I watch movies, I like to unwind, laugh, and watch people fall in love. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll binge a violent murder show as much as the next girl, but I'll have to watch a comedy immediately after, to put my brain back together."
At some point, that love translated into a parody video she uploaded to social media - and the next thing Nicole knew, it had gone viral.
But that was just the beginning.
"Eventually," she beams, "It was time to give the people what they wanted, and make a real one."
"I totally manifested this!" she laughs.
However, she backtracks a little when she jokes that there was a lot more to it than believing it would happen.
"I’m not sure if you can call it manifesting when you sit down and write yourself a rom-com to star in, and then aggressively try to get it made. It didn’t exactly fall in my lap, if you will, but there’s some quote dads say a lot about luck being the product of hard work, right?"
She Wrote, Produced, And Starred In "Magic Carpet Rides"
Long before she started her social media journey, Nicole had been an actress with a penchant for writing her own sketches.
"I would have these ideas of characters I wanted to play and things I wanted to film that I could see so clearly in my head, so then the only option was to figure out how to put them on paper," she reminisces.
It only makes sense, then, that when it came time to make her first real rom-com, she took the reins.
And, particularly when it came to seeing it come to life on set, she smiles that that was an incredible experience.
"Seeing how the actors interpreted the script Matt and I wrote and made it their own was amazing," she gushes.
That said, there were some more challenging moments - particularly when it came time for her to be in front of the camera.
"If I didn’t have anxiety and the constant fear that everyone hates me, I’m sure it would have been a walk in the park!"
On top of that, the moving parts - like wardrobe - got to be a lot, at times.
"Changing clothes and clothes, and more clothes ... next script I write, all the characters will wear the same thing every day, like in a cartoon."
However, she chuckles that, at the end of the day, being surrounded by the right people made all the difference.
"We had an amazing cast and crew so even when something seemed very stressful there was always someone making you laugh," she nods.
Nicole Shares What She's Most Excited For Audiences To See
So, we've heard about the behind-the-scenes ... but what about the film, itself?
"Magic Carpet Rides is a charming, very funny romantic comedy that makes you want to watch rom-coms again," Nicole begins.
"I play Callie, a social media-obsessed girl living in LA. She meets a guy, Leo, who lives on a boat without a phone or much technology, and she tries to live in his world. The movie is packed with hilarious characters and a lot of ridiculousness surrounding a quite charming romance."
As for what she's most excited for viewers to see in the film, she points immediately to its funny factor.
"I’m excited for people to laugh!" she says. .
That's not all, though.
"I’m also excited to show another side of myself as an artist. A 30 second, attention-grabbing TikTok is a very different medium than acting in a film. I was an actress before I was ever on social media, and I’m excited to finally show that side of myself."
A Word Of Advice To Aspiring Filmmakers
Through Magic Carpet RIdes, Nicole has managed to live out a number of her biggest dreams - so what would she say to other young women, hoping to do the same?
"My best advice is to just start. Just believe you have enough information in your brain to start," she says.
And, she points out, that's not to say there won't still be some epic fails along the way.
"I made so many things that were so, so bad, but you learn. It’s funny to look back at all my terrible YouTube videos I have since deleted because it’s obvious to me now why they were terrible. I filmed a sketch about incestual siblings at a game night that was so painfully unfunny that I emailed YouTube to try to ensure it doesn’t somehow still exist somewhere on the internet. No one can ever see that."
But, she shrugs, even with the frantic emails to YouTube, "It’s a journey."
"If I didn’t make bad things, I never would have learned how to make good things."
With that in mind, we wrapped up our chat with Nicole by asking what she'd tell her younger self, give the chance.
"Look, we never became a pop star, but that's OKAY. We're FINE," she jokes, before turning slightly more serious.
"I would just tell her to enjoy the process a little bit more. I was always so obsessed with making something of myself immediately that sometimes I forgot to enjoy the journey. I’m still working on that, too. I’m working on being grateful for whatever phase of life I’m in and whatever phase of my career I’m in, instead of looking to the future."
That, the comedian says, a glint in her eye, and, "I would also say, 'You’re tone-deaf, Nicole. You are never going to be a pop star. Please stop making your parents spend money on voice lessons. They don’t work.”
Something tells us Nicole is destined for very, very big things - even if pop stardom isn't one of them.
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